Spin It Round Again
by Quaggy
Summary: A game of Truth or Dare has some unfortunate results  Season 3 post-Firebending Masters, pre-Boiling Rock


Title: Spin It Round Again  
Rating: PG  
Originally published: March 3rd, 2008  
Notes: Based on Rashaka's "Games". It's a sequel of sorts that does stand on it's own. (Mostly.) A great big thank you to **rashaka** for letting me write this and for the feedback.

* * *

.

Even if it was unfair, Karata decided that she was going to blame all of this on the fact that the boys would sometimes forget that Toph was a girl. Not that she didn't understand why. Toph would roll around in the mud, belch and basically reject all things that are stereotypically "girly." But then, boys were generally stupid and only saw what they want. Fortunately, Katara wasn't so easily fooled by outward appearances. She glanced around the room again, her eyes traveling from her brother to Aang, skipping over Zuko least she start blushing again, to Teo and Haru and finally to the Duke still perched on Appa. Males, all of them. Even Momo. Or maybe, she admitted to herself with a slight grimace, it was simply desperation. No matter how many people joined them, without Toph, she would be the only girl.

And as much as Toph might act like she was one of the boys, she did relish a little girl talk now and then. It was nice to have someone to confide your most mortifying moments in (_"I can't believe I kissed Suki!" "I can't believe you were trying to kiss Sokka!"_) and to talk over your most perplexing. (_"Aang kissed me." "Whoa. What are you going to do about it?" "No clue."_) Katara was pretty sure she knew all of Toph's secrets and Toph definitely knew all of hers. Despite herself, Katara's eyes drifted towards the firebender sitting across the circle and tried to ignore the way her lips still tingled. Well, maybe it was more accurate to say that Toph knew all of the secrets Katara had already admitted to herself. She still had a few that were (mostly) buried deep.

So that's why it was so surprising when Toph asked a question that she already knew the answer to. (_"Maybe there's just too much we have to do before I can even think about falling in love." "Or maybe you're just not in love with Aang."_) Katara was certain that there was no way that Toph would do anything to embarrass Aang publicly like that. Which meant she had to have another reason up her sleeve. So instead of taking one of the hundred graceful exits offered by that intrusive little question, Katara let Toph have her fun. Though she nearly killed her when she figured out what Toph was planning. But, to be honest, Katara should have seen that particular dare coming. (_"I can't stop staring at him when he's training. It's embarrassing!" "I think you should just kiss the guy and get it out of your system." "I think it's much easier being rude."_) Of course, it didn't get anything out of her system. If anything, it made it worse. And Katara was pretty sure Toph already knew that, which meant there was probably going to be another session of girl talk tonight.

That is, if they all first survived Zuko's revenge.

"Truth, or dare?" Zuko asked with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was doing. Katara had a very bad feeling this was going to get messy.

"Dare," Toph replied, fearlessly.

"Since you've been so interested in kissing, I think you should be doing some of it," Zuko said calmly, his eyes still on Katara's brother. "Sokka, you said you never wanted to see something that disgusting again, so I guess that makes you a participant. I dare you to kiss him, Toph."

"WHAT! No WAY, am I gonna let that happen!" Sokka's objections rang through the chamber.

"Really? You have a problem with kissing Toph?" Zuko asked, in mock concern.

"Of course, I do! She is twelve years old! In case you haven't noticed, I'm not! Kissing a twelve year old is just wrong! Especially if you're older than, like, thirteen" Sokka declared. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara could see Aang shift uncomfortably in his seat and glance over at her. She pretended she didn't noticed and kept her attention on the firebender, who was looking far too pleased with himself.

"I didn't say it had to be a real kiss. Her lips just have to make contact with your face," Zuko taunted.

"Not so fast, Hothead," Toph objected, with a bravado Katara knew she couldn't actually be feeling. "Who says I want Sokka germs? Maybe I'll just have to pick Truth instead!"

"Well, then Toph, I would have to ask you who sitting around this circle you would _want_ to kiss?" Zuko smirked, looking eerily like his sister, and why wouldn't he? For once in his life, Zuko held all the puppet strings. Katara figured that he would have to be dead to not revel in the power a little.

Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to let the guy raised on court intrigue play this game? Toph was so out of her league and she didn't even realize it. By getting her to admit the object of her affection, whoever felt brave enough to bait a tiger on his next turn would be able to dare Toph to do exactly what she was so desperately trying to avoid. It was brilliant, really. What Toph probably wouldn't realize is that her face would give her feelings away even if she took the dare.

"Fine," Toph announced and got to her feet. Katara wanted to scream out for her not to do it. That Toph should just LIE! (After all, Katara was the only would who would know and she'd never tell.) She wanted to throw herself between her brother and the blind earthbender. But since she couldn't do any of that, she just held her breath and hoped that Toph would know enough to control her expression.

Toph angrily made her way across the circle towards Sokka, who was cowering pathetically under his arms, and grabbed him by the hair. Her kiss landed high on his cheek, practically on his eye. She made a great show of stomping back to her seat, but, as Katara expected, her face was a mixture of conflicting emotions.

Fortunately Sokka's antics (_"Ick! Ick! Ick! Get it off! Get it off!"_) and the ensuing argument over whose turn it actually was ( _It defaults to Sokka" "But Sokka's already gone twice!"_) meant that everyone was too preoccupied to notice Toph's discomfort. Well, almost everyone.

Zuko's face was a grimace of realization, regret and maybe even a little empathy. For all of his manipulation, he had apparently missed the crush the twelve year old girl had for a boy who saw her only as another little sister. (But it had already been established that boys are stupid.) Zuko clearly was not planning this outcome and Katara couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. Suddenly, Zuko looked directly at Katara, as if he could feel her eyes on him. His face turned red and looked away quickly as if her sympathy only increased his shame. And that, the waterbender realized, was the reason that Zuko could never be confused with his sister for longer than a few seconds. Azula would never, ever feel guilty for inadvertently hurting her friends.

This is why you should never play spin-the-flask, Katara thought with a mental sigh. Someone (everyone) always got hurt by the time the game was done.


End file.
